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EDMONTON —Wildrose leader Danielle Smith refused to say Wednesday whether she personally believes in the concept of "conscience rights" that would allow a marriage commissioner to opt-out of wedding a same-sex couple or a Catholic doctor from prescribing birth control.

Asked repeatedly about her stance, Smith said only that her party believes there should be a mechanism in the court system to "balance" competing rights. The party's platform calls for the cases now heard by the Alberta Human Rights Commission to instead be handled by a new division in the provincial court system.

"If anyone is ever denied service for any reason, then our new proposal for how we would deal with that is with a separate division of the provincial court," she said during a campaign event at Concordia University College in Edmonton. "All we're doing is providing a process, so that in the event that rights come into conflict, we have the ability for them to be adjudicated."

In a survey conducted by the Rocky Mountain Civil Liberties Association last August, Smith spoke directly to the concept of conscience rights.

"The Wildrose will ensure conscience rights for marriage commissioners and health professionals," she said in response to a question asking leaders what human rights issues they would address. "This would ensure the protection of personal expression for individuals, while also ensuring that personal beliefs are respected for all Albertans."

As well, the party's 2010 policy handbook says a Wildrose government "will implement legislation protecting the conscience rights of health care professionals." The 2011 policy book is slightly softened to say the government "should" implement conscience rights.

Asked Wednesday whether that is still her party's position or whether she personally believes in conscience rights, Smith deflected the question.

She said party members felt there was an imbalance in the way some rights have been assessed ahead of others, and asked caucus to craft a response to it. That response was to propose the new court mechanism where cases would be subject to rules of evidence, equal rights would be given to complainants and defendants, and arguments would be weighed by judges instead of bureaucrats, she said.

"I am fundamentally a populist. I fundamentally believe Albertans should decide the direction of the province," Smith said. "And what Albertans are telling me is that they want to see a venue where they can have a balance of rights, where everyone's rights are respected. Those are my marching orders, that's what I am hearing from Albertans and that's what I believe we need to do.

"I support the Charter of Rights and freedoms, and when you look at it there is freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of association - all of these freedoms under our charter need to be balanced in society against competing rights and freedoms," she added.

Wildrose has lost a least one supporter as a result of their position.

Kathleen Smith, who blogs at KikkiPlanet.com, said she had been an "extremely vocal" online supporter of the Wildrose, tweeting live from the party leader's dinner, and speaking against a PC party campaign worker who used Twitter to question why Danielle Smith (no relation) has no children of her own.

That was up until last weekend, when she realized Wildrose members voted in favour of "conscience rights" for health-care professionals. Smith said she was further surprised to see the Wildrose leader's survey to the civil liberties association.

"I discovered that there was policy I was not privy to, that went against everything I believe in. I had to say something publicly," the Edmonton mother of four said in an interview.

"Especially because I'm a local gay rights supporter, I have to answer for that decision. Had I known, I would have never supported this party."

With recent polls showing a Wildrose surge at the expense of the PCs, Smith is increasingly being viewed as a potential premier who could guide a moral agenda for the province. She acknowledged the extra attention could make her more of a target, but said she and her party have no hidden agenda.

Meanwhile in Lethbridge, Progressive Conservative leader Alison Redford said Wednesday the Tory campaign — and the party's prospects for continuing its four decades in power — are in better shape than indicated by recent polls that show the PCs trailing the Wildrose Party.

Redford said again she doesn't comment on polls but that recent voter surveys don't match internal Tory polling.

"The information that I've been provided with most recently is quite different," she said.

A poll for CTV by ThinkHQ Public Affairs released Tuesday shows Wildrose with 43 per cent of decided voters and the PCs at 30 per cent.

Redford said she's happy with the high level of undecided voters in this campaign and suggested the PCs are likely to pick up support as Wildrose comes under increased scrutiny because of their strength.

Wildrose leader Smith deflects questions on "conscience rights" ED

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